


A Rainy Night

by RadientWings



Series: Songs of Shadow (Elriel Collection) [7]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Sharing a Bed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, gratuitous fluff, please enjoy ;), this is honestly just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 07:05:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15746739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadientWings/pseuds/RadientWings
Summary: Elain and Azriel have been friends for years - until one night and a fateful injury lead them to exploring the possibility of being more.(OR: The one where a twisted ankle leads to some bed-sharing... and more.)





	A Rainy Night

**Author's Note:**

> This one was inspired by three things from tumblr, a sentence prompt ('put me down') by watermilanfish, another prompt by the lovely julesherondalex asking for a friends-to-lovers elriel fic and being tagged in a post about bed-sharing by her. All three came together to make this fluffy little fic; hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think! <3

“Put me down,” Elain demanded, her heart fluttering nervously in her chest. She didn’t fight against the grip around her though, didn’t even try. Partly because she didn’t want to fall back onto the rough forest ground… and partly because she quite liked being cradled close against her best friend’s chest.

Azriel sighed and gave her the same answer he’d given the last two times she’d asked him. “No, Elain,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.

“I can _walk_. Put me down,” she repeated.

He came to a stop, ignoring the rain getting in his eyes as he gave her a pointed look. “You can walk in _pain_. You’re injured, Elain.”

“It’s a sprained ankle, Az, it’s not going to kill me,” she replied, somewhat petulantly, ignoring the sharp ache in her ankle. Her cheeks still felt hot from embarrassment; she couldn’t _believe_ she’d tripped over a rock of all things… only to stumble down a hill full of them. In front of _Azriel_. Mother above, she was _mortified_. And it was somehow made even _worse_ when he hadn’t just laughed it off, when he’d instead dived after her, immediately fussing over her in that unfailingly kind way of his.

They were supposed to be on their way to a diplomatic mission in the human realms, for Cauldron’s sake, not stumbling about in a forest because of Elain’s clumsiness. She couldn't _believe_ she’d allowed this to happen after all the effort it took to get here in the first place, after all the precautions they’d taken in an attempt to keep the tentative peace with the humans. They’d only walked at all at _Elain’s_ insistence; she’d told Azriel it was best not to suddenly land in their territory with his wings out, glorious _yes_ , but terrifying to the human eye. So she’d made him land a few hours from the border instead, adamant they made the rest of the journey on foot.

It should have been a relatively short trek. Were it not for the rocks. And the rain. And Elain being _stupid_ and tripping.

The journey was likely to take twice as long now.

(She supposed she wasn’t making it any easier by not letting Azriel help her, but she couldn’t help it. She felt so useless. So utterly _dumb_.)

“Your legs are also full of cuts, lest we forget,” Azriel reminded her gently, dragging her of her thoughts. “I’d say that and the ankle is more than enough reason not to get back on your feet.”

“It was just a fall,” Elain grumbled, though her voice lost some of its vehemence.

“Yes, it was. But it was a hard fall. And that was _before_ the rain,” he replied, still looking her in the eye as the rain around them continued to soak them. “Just let me carry you? Please? At least until we find somewhere to bed down for the night.” 

 _I suppose we won’t be able to reach the border with this weather anyways_ , Elain thought. So she finally conceded, uncrossing her arms from her chest and instead wrapping them around Azriel’s neck, letting his warmth seep into her.

“Fine,” she said, rather curtly. “But know that I am not happy about this.”

“Noted,” he replied, voice full of laughter. His arms we steel bands underneath her knees and back, cradling her with utter gentleness as he started the trek again.

They were quiet for a long while, locked in an intimate embrace that made nerves churn in Elain’s stomach. Azriel held her with ease through it all, striding over the unsteady forest path without a single stumble, not once complaining.

“Thank you,” Elain eventually murmured, when the embarrassment of it all had finally faded and left only gratitude.

Azriel looked down at her quizzically, raindrops falling over the handsome planes of his face. (Sweet Azriel, with his _infinite_ patience.)

“For taking care of me,” she clarified. “I know I can be stubborn sometimes… and I know it can come out at the worst of times.”

“Elain, I’ve known you for nearly a decade now,” Azriel replied, smiling that little smile of his. She tried her best not to squirm in his arms. “This is hardly something you have to thank me for. Besides, I know all about your stubbornness.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead giving him a look that told him to tread carefully. “Yes, yes, I know.”

“Don’t worry. I quite like it actually. It’s a part of you are,” he said, as if it was that simple, as if _that_ was enough of a reason for him. Before she could even remotely think of what to say to that _,_ quiet mischief lit his eyes. “I also like the look on others’ faces when quiet Elain Archeron out-stubborns them.”

Elain felt her cheeks color again, was sure they went a bright, unmistakable red. But she supposed she shouldn’t be too preoccupied by it; as Azriel had said, he’d known her long enough to really know _her_ … and to know that she was a quick blusher.

(Especially around him. But that was neither here nor there.)

“There’s a village up ahead,” Azriel told her after a few more minutes of steady walking. “Let’s see if we can find an inn there.”

Elain just nodded, heart fluttering oddly, words stuck in her throat. That had been happening more and more frequently lately, and she had no idea what to _do_ with it. Azriel was one of her closest friends, after all. In fact, his steadfast friendship had been one of the main things that had helped her recover after the traumas of Hybern… that had helped her accept and even _thrive_ in her new life. She was eternally grateful for it, for _him_. 

So, this new feeling that had been creeping up on her the past year or so… it scared her. She didn’t want to ruin one of the few trusted and _treasured_ relationships she had outside her family. Cauldron, if she lost Azriel… Elain wasn’t sure she would survive it. Not after Graysen. Not after Lucien, who she’d had to let go some years back when even their mating bond wasn’t enough to keep them together.

Really, it was better to keep quiet, to hold onto all the parts of Azriel she _did_ get. Like his mother-blessed patience or that quiet sense of humor that never failed to make her laugh. Or that beautiful smile of his. Or the way he always, _always_ made time for her, no matter how small the problem.

Elain sighed a little as Azriel continued to walk to the village, found herself leaning her head onto his shoulder, tightening her arms around his neck. She could do _this_ , couldn’t she? She could embrace him, take some comfort in him… right?

Either way, Azriel himself didn’t seem to mind, only shifting her slightly so he she could lay more comfortably against him.

“Almost there,” he whispered in her ear. “Try not to fall asleep just yet.”

Elain poked his leather-covered chest, smiling a little. “I’ll have you know I’m wide awake.”

Azriel chuckled. “Well in that case…” he trailed off, slowing down despite the rain falling more harshly. But it was a warm summer rain and actually rather pleasant, Elain was finding, especially now that Azriel had slowed into a stroll… especially now that he was holding her as close as possible.

She still lifted her head enough so she could give him a questioning look, asking why he’d slowed down so much. But Azriel just shook his head, wearing that small smile of his; the very same she often dreamt of. So Elain let herself sink into his embrace, the rain a warm blanket around them.

They didn’t speak any more after that. Didn’t need to fill the peaceful bubble around them with words, not after the many years of friendship they’d shared. It was like they were both savoring this moment, suspended in time together.

Getting into the village was like waking from a dream, a wonderful dream that Elain hadn’t wanted to end. But it was sadly a necessary waking, with the wind now picking up in an almost dangerous way. Azriel sped up again, wary of the darker clouds on the horizon. Elain didn’t need foresight to recognize a coming storm, so she made sure to keep her grip tight as her friend strode through the town square and tried not to linger on that peaceful bubble they’d lost.

They quickly found the only inn, stepping through into a blissfully warm and _dry_ interior. The innkeeper was an elegant lesser faerie with midnight blue skin. She was apologetic when she informed them she only had one room left in a small cabin at the back; something about the rain bringing many unexpected visitors. Neither Elain nor Azriel were about to argue about that, the both of them just grateful to have a room at all. They took the key and braved the rain once more to get to the little cabin the innkeeper indicated, Elain firmly in Azriel’s arms the entire time. 

Somehow Azriel managed to unlock their door and maneuver his way through the narrow threshold, all without relinquishing his grip on her. He only put her down when they were firmly inside, placing her gently on the edge of the small bed pushed against the wall.

The _only_ bed. Elain blanched at the sight.

Oh _._

Oh _no._

Azriel didn’t make any mention of the bed, either not noticing their current dilemma or not caring about it… and Elain wasn’t sure which option she preferred. Regardless, he seemed to be ignoring it for the moment, instead kneeling before her, gazing up at her with worried hazel eyes. “How’s the ankle?”

Elain had to force her thoughts away from their sleeping arrangements. “It’s fine. I promise.”

Azriel shook his head a little, pointing to her right leg. “Let me see?”

He waited until he had her hesitant consent before carefully taking her food in hand, removing her soaked shoe so he could better examine it. Elain shivered a little when he shifted the hem of her dress out of the way, exposing the bare skin of her calf. She’d never felt so bare in front of him before, but he didn’t seem to mind it, running scarred fingertips over her swollen ankle, glancing over all the little cuts on her legs. He was very cautious when he tested the joint, stopping immediately when she hissed in pain, murmuring an apology under his breath.

“It’s quite a bad sprain,” he told her, warm hands still on her bare leg. “I’ll have to wrap it so you recover faster. But first we should get you dry. I’ll be right back; don’t put any weight on it,” he finished, giving her leg a gentle squeeze before standing and making his exit.

Elain took the momentary silence to gather herself and her racing heart. There was no reason to make this whole situation into something it wasn’t. Azriel was her _friend_ , and he was taking care of her _as a friend_. It shouldn’t matter to her that he had just had his hands all over her legs. And it _certainly_ shouldn’t matter that they were sharing a room with only one bed. She’d slept beside friends before. Surely this was no different than sharing a bed with her sisters? Or with Morrigan?

( _But it’s Azriel_ , a quiet voice inside her whispered. _It’s Azriel. Of course it’s different._ )

(Elain quickly quashed those thoughts… though the doubt lingered.)

The door banged open again some minutes later, Azriel coming through with a bag full of supplies.

“I’ve got some dry things for you to put on,” he told her, seeing as the only dress she brought was the one she was wearing… and the one that was currently leaving a wet patch on the bedspread. He handed her a white slip of a thing – clearly an old sleep shirt, but that smelled clean and was as dry as he claimed – as well as a towel.

Elain shifted forward and was contemplating the best way to stand when Azriel’s arm surrounded her waist, supporting her until she stood balanced on one foot. She gave him a grateful glance, before grabbing one of the bedposts to steady herself.

“Do you– Do you mind?” she asked him, gesturing shyly at the shirt she was holding.

“Of course not.” Azriel immediately backed away and turned around so his back was to her. “Let me know if you need any help?”

“I’ll be fine,” Elain replied, voice suspiciously high-pitched. ( _Cauldron_ , she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle his hands on any more of her skin to tonight. She could barely even handle him in the room when she was changing.)

“Stubbornness again, Elain?” Azriel replied, clearly amused.

“I thought you liked that about me,” she said smartly, careful as she shucked her dress off and pulled on the shirt. Thankfully, it was long enough to cover her to her knees, the linen of it cool against her heated skin.

A small laugh. “You’re right. I do.”

Adjusting the shirt so it covered her as much as possible, Elain had to tell herself her bare legs were nothing special. She wouldn’t be this shy with any of the other members of the Inner Circle, so it should hardly matter with her best friend. She gave one last useless tug before sighing. “Alright, I’m done.”

Azriel turned back to her, having shed most of his Illyrian leathers, leaving him in his undershirt and briefs. Elain felt over-heated but kept her eyes firmly on his face, not the dark swirls of tattoos she could see through his open collar or the thick muscle of his own bare legs, studiously focusing on towel-drying her hair instead. Still, she couldn’t help but notice how Azriel’s gaze examined her unashamedly from head-to-toe; her heart beat faster at it, racing wildly.

Azriel suddenly snapped his eyes back to hers, his gaze darker than it had been before. But he said nothing of it, only gesturing back to her ankle. “Let’s get that wrapped.”

Elain kept as still as possible as he helped her settle back on the edge of the bed, the towel covering the earlier wet patch her soaked dress had left there. She practically held her breath when he kneeled again, when he once again touched her bare ankle. He wrapped her ankle with practiced efficiency, but treated her with such gentleness that it made her chest ache something fierce. Finally, when he was done, he stood, putting enough space between them that Elain could exhale.

The silence between them was taught, tension-filled when it usually never was. The room felt suddenly too small and yet too big, the space between her and Azriel a sweet relief and yet begging to be closed.

“Are you hungry?” he suddenly asked, as if searching for _something_ to say.

But Elain shook her head; the nerves in her stomach made it impossible to even think of eating. She kept her eyes on him, felt like something between them would disappear if she looked away.

“Me neither,” Azriel replied, his expression inscrutable, hazel gaze still dark in a way that made her want to shiver. “Perhaps we should rest then.”

She hesitated. “There’s… There’s only one bed. It’s… small.”

That small, amused smile again. “I noticed.”

“I can take the chair?” she offered abruptly, cheeks flushing.

Azriel shook his head firmly, approaching so he stood right next to her… so he could reach out to chuck her gently under the chin; a soft reprimand. “Elain you’re the one who’s injured. I’m hardly letting you take the chair.”

She had to push through the nervous lump in her throat. “Well, you carried me all the way here. It isn’t fair for you to take the chair either.” (Besides, the thing was far too small and rickety to support the sheer _size_ of him.)

He grinned almost wolfishly at that, leaning against the bedpost as he stared down at her. He crossed his impressive arms over his chest, wet hair curling into his eyes in a way that distracted Elain utterly.

“Then it seems we are at an impasse,” Azriel finally said. “What do you suggest?”

She looked behind her, it was small… but. “We could… share? The bed, I mean.”

He similarly examined it. “It’ll be a tight fit,” he offered cautiously.

“I know.”

“Are you sure?” Azriel asked her, uncharacteristically hesitant.

It was _that_ that made her certain. So she nodded, lips pulling up into a smile. “I’m sure. I’d feel too guilty to sleep if you weren’t comfortable too.”

Azriel let out a loud laugh, eyes full of undeniable fondness. “Elain, has anyone ever told you there might be such a thing as too _much_ kindness?”

“Has anyone ever told _you_ that?” she returned.

Azriel’s eyes widened slightly with surprise when the implication sank in, before he ducked his head almost shyly. It made Elain sad that he should be surprised that she thought him kind. It made her so incredibly sad. But there was nothing to be done for it, other than to remind him as much as she was able.

He cleared his throat suddenly, clearly uncomfortable. “Come on, let’s figure this out. We’ll need to be well-rested for tomorrow.”

After some discussion, they soon realized the only way they would both fit was if Azriel climbed in first and lay on his back with Elain practically on _top_ of him. Mother, but her cheeks felt like they were on _fire_.

Still, she wasn’t about to turn back on her word, so she waited patiently as Azriel sat on the bed first, waited as he shifted back until he could lie down, wings at his side, tucked in as much as they were able with him on his back. Stars, to see him like _this_ … Elain was sure her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. The reality was so much more intimidating than her imagination could have predicted. Still, she steeled herself, forced herself to act like this was all completely normal.

 _He’s your friend_ , she told herself. _Azriel’s your friend. It’ll be fine. Just don't make this into something it’s not_.

Careful of her ankle, she crawled into the bed beside Azriel. He helped her maneuver comfortably, hands steady around her waist until she was finally in place, lying against his side with her head over his heart, her injured food on top of his leg so it wasn’t squashed against the bed. They were tangled together, limbs against limbs, chest-to-chest.

Elain hadn’t been this close to male since Graysen. Elain hadn’t _really_ been this close to any male.

 _He’s your friend_ , she reminded herself again. _Your friend_. _Nothing else_.

Azriel was tense under her, though his heart remained a steady beat under her ear. She shifted a little bit more, trying to get comfortable until she found that the best way to lie down – lie _on_ him – was by practically hugging his muscled chest. Elain would still have changed from that position, regardless of comfort, were it not for Azriel suddenly relaxing beneath her… for his own arms coming up to surround her completely.

Elain _melted_ into him then, into the comfort of his presence, of the hand that ran gently through her hair.

“Goodnight, Elain,” he told her, turning his head and giving her a sweet kiss to the temple. ( _He’s your friend_. _He’s your friend._ )

Elain smiled, pleased. “Goodnight, Azriel.”

Yet even with her drowsiness, even with the delicious coziness of her position, she found she couldn’t fall asleep. It eluded her, her entire body suddenly filled with anxious energy – like she was waiting for something to happen.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime but was likely closer to fifteen minutes, Azriel spoke again. “Can’t sleep?”

She shook her head slightly.

Azriel made a humming sound, his fingers still running softly through her loose hair. “Tell me what you’re thinking?”

Elain shifted so she could look up at him, could meet his eyes, barely visible in their moonlit room. “You first,” she said.

He seemed to consider, hand moving away from her hair to cup her face, long fingers splayed over the soft skin of her cheek. Elain shivered a little under his touch; this simple touch that really shouldn’t be affecting her the way it was considering the way they were lying together. But still it did. And that said something she’d been trying to ignore.

“I’m thinking…” he started, voice deep, “I’m thinking that I’ve wanted to see you like this for a long, _long_ time.”

Her brow furrowed. “Like what?”

He traced her face again, like he was memorizing the lines of it with his fingers. “Like this. _Here_. With _me_.”

Oh _. Oh._

“You… you did?” Elain found herself asking, taken by utter surprise. _But Azriel is just my friend… isn’t he?_

Azriel shook his head with disbelief, that small smile of his back as he stared at her with wonder. “Of _course_ I did, Elain. Of course I _do_.”

“But why did you say anything?” _Why didn't you tell me there was a possibility between us all along?_

“I suppose I was scared of losing what we already had. I just… I want you in my life in whatever you’ll allow me, Elain Archeron.”

With that, Elain finally knew what to do with that feeling in her chest. With his words – his _beautiful_ , spellbinding words – she finally understood. Because here was Azriel. Her best friend… and the male she loved.

“Azriel?” Elain asked, heart practically _exploding_ with happiness.

“Yes?”

She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. “Ask me again. Ask me what I’m thinking.”

He seemed hopeful. So, so hopeful. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I was scared too,” she told him, thumb tracing his strong jawline once. “But I’m not anymore.”

And then she kissed him. She kissed him with everything she had, with every feeling she had for _him_. It was a beautiful thing, soft yet passionate. Sweet yet full of undeniable fire. _Not just a friend_ , Elain thought suddenly, triumphant. But that thought, and so many of her others, were quickly chased away by Azriel’s tongue, by his ever-moving hands, which seemed starved to touch her. 

She would have continued to kiss him, would have continued to touch him the way she’d wanted to for _so_ long, were it not for sudden pain in her ankle reminding her that probably shouldn’t overdo it.

 _Stupid ankle_. _Stupid, stupid ankle._

So she pulled away, apologies ready to fall from her lips, but Azriel quickly waved them away.

“There’s never a need to apologize for that, Elain,” Azriel told her, voice full of serious sincerity. “We will only ever go as far as we _both_ want to.”

She smiled. Cauldron, she was so incredibly lucky to have this male in her life, this beautiful, _kind_ male. She pressed a kiss to his cloth-covered chest, right over his heart. _Thank you_ , that kiss said. _Thank you._

Azriel seemed too overcome to reply to that, instead just pressing another kiss to the side of her head. And then another and another, giving his own thanks. 

 _Cauldron_ , she was lucky. So mother-blessed lucky.

They still didn’t fall asleep for a long time after that, instead just murmuring softly to each other, talking about everything and nothing. Even their lapses of silence were filled with nothing but comfort, simply basking in each other’s company while they lay tangled together.

It was in one of those lapses that they finally fell into slumber, the both of them feeling warm and peaceful. And loved. That too. Though neither was ready to admit that yet.

But that day would come. And it would come soon. Elain only had to wait… and she was sure that Azriel would be by her side the entire time.


End file.
